Chantel McGregor
Yet another chance to appreciate McGregor's exquisite guitar work and powerful vocals.
Bradford-born blues rock guitarist Chantel McGregor returned to the Adrian Flux Waterfront last night, a full thirteen years after her first visit here in 2012, when she was on tour promoting what became her highly acclaimed debut album, Like No Other. That same year she won Best Female Vocalist at the British Blues Awards, and also went on to win Guitarist of The Year in 2013 and 2014.
Her fourth studio album, The Healing, was released last month, and her Wednesday night set at the upstairs Studio featured almost all of the tracks from the new release, as well as a brand new song (Crazy Little Voodoo); an explosive prog-rock excursion during a track called April (featured on Bury'd Alive, the live album recorded at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds in 2019); and also a selection of tracks from her 2015 album Lose Control.
Together with band members Colin Sutton (bass) and Thom Gardner (drums), McGregor began the set with I Will Breathe, a prog-influenced track from The Healing that quickly has heads nodding, right from the off. And the band’s earlier trauma and indignity of being pooped on by a giant seagull during a pre-gig meal at the Riverside 'Spoons, seems to have been forgotten. McGregor is indeed in fine form, both vocally and with her powerful and expressive guitar work. Together with Sutton and Gardner, the trio have an almost sixth sense connection, even though the introduction to Burn Your Anger seemed to require some final clarification before launching into it. Lose Control, the title track off the second album, again features McGregor’s trademark gutsy blues vocals, and driving guitar riffs, ably augmented by Sutton’s pulsating bass and Gardner’s relentless stick work.
Walk On Land is a prog-based track from the back catalogue which provides yet another opportunity for McGregor to display her virtuosic guitar work, and is followed by Your Fever, its title seeming somehow appropriate to the heatwave that we are currently enjoying. Just don't mention the 'M' word.
One of my favourite songs of the entire set is the slower, but beautiful, Anaesthetise, performed solo whilst the band take a quick break. When they return we are treated to the new, as yet unreleased, song named Crazy Little Voodoo, with McGregor claiming that it was way too happy to be have been included on the latest album. Maybe it will appear on a subsequent release? Another highlight is the aforementioned, and emotion-filled performance of April, providing yet another chance to appreciate McGregor's exquisite guitar work and powerful vocals.
The main set concludes with Truth Will Out, the final track to feature from The Healing, leaving only the title track remaining. That, however, is saved for a thinly veiled, but much appreciated, encore.
Chantel McGregor's tour in support of The Healing continues throughout June, and concludes at Cambridge's Junction2 on Thursday June 26th.
